Philadelphia Union hosts Atlanta United in a high stakes match up on Saturday night at Subaru Park, and after the team's final training session before the action, Head Coach Jim Curtin met with the media, previewing what's ahead.
No margin for error
As is typically the case at this point in the Major League Soccer season, the Eastern Conference table is very congested, especially in the bottom half. As it stands, Philadelphia Union has the ninth place spot, while Atlanta United is in 11th. This weekend could see a standings shake up, and in his press conference, Curtin emphasized how much could change for not only Philadelphia's postseason aspirations, but for clubs across the league based on Matchday 35 results.
"There's no margin for error for any team that's not above the red line comfortably or clinched right now," Curtin said.
"I think you'll see a lot of movement and a lot of really important matchups down the stretch here. Again, your home games always become really critical. I think everybody knows we've had a really tough schedule, and it gets even harder now down the stretch, so all these points matter."
Philadelphia and Toronto both have 36 total points, and the four teams below them trail by just three points or less. The final will stretch will make all the difference in deciding which nine Eastern Conference teams secure a playoff spot, and Curtin shared his take on what could unfold in the weeks ahead.
"There'll be, I think, a lot of highs and a lot of lows for different teams. Somebody who you think is out of it now is probably going to get in, and somebody who you think is completely safe is going to get knocked out. That's the nature of nine teams being able to make it, so everybody still has hope for the most part. I's going to be a sprint to the finish. I think every team recognizes that. We certainly do, but you can never say must win until you're mathematically eliminated," Curtin said.
Projecting playing time
Atlanta United is the first of three opponents Philadelphia Union will face in a week's time before a brief break ahead of their Decision Day showdown against Cincinnati on October 19th at Subaru Park.
After Atlanta, Philadelphia Union will take on Orlando City and Columbus Crew on the road, which is no easy feat as both of those teams currently sit among the top 5 in the Eastern Conference table. When asked about his playing-time plans, Curtin gave a glimpse into how his staff will navigate personnel given the high caliber opponents ahead.
"We have a plan in place. You can probably picture yourself some of our good road wins in the recent weeks and who was on the field in those road games in New York and then New York City. Maybe we lean a little heavily on those guys," Curtin said.
"You hope no one gets a yellow card suspension or an injury or something like that. We have to approach all three games a little bit differently. We have a plan in place, but we also have to be able to adapt and adjust."
Prioritizing Atlanta
Philadelphia Union has just four matches left, which means they'll have only four opportunities to secure a playoff berth. While Decision Day is swiftly approaching, Saturday's match against Atlanta United remains the priority, and they will visit Philly with a different group than the one Philadelphia Union battled for a 2-2 draw at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in April.
"They're a team that has had some change since the last time we've we played them. That's clear. They're in the process of what you would call a, a retooling or rebuilding, but they still have an amazing group of attacking players that can really hurt you in a lot of different ways," Curtin said.
"Like we said, we're both fighting for the same thing to try to get above that red line and into the playoffs. They will come out flying. We're going to get their very best punch in the first 15 minutes of the game. We have to stand up to that, and not only do we have to stand up, but we have to punch back. That needs to be our mentality and our mindset," Curtin said.
